‘No room for harassment of women’

Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman on Sunday said there was no room for harassment of women which should be condemned at every forum as it could not be allowed to promote profanity brigade spewing venom against people on public platforms.

Addressing a dialogue on growing violence against women in politics, the minister said that no civilised society allowed harassment of women.

The dialogue was organised by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and the 4th PillarVigilant Media Watchdog.

Sherry said: "I proudly claim to belong to the party of Benazir Bhutto and Bilawal Bhutto where no one can even think of harassment."

She said that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari used to take strict action on exploitation against women.

The minister said that she had also written a book on “womansplaining” highlighting women's struggle in our society, adding that “49 per cent of Pakistan's population consists of women and women are the worst affected by any crisis despite the fact that Pakistan's economy is driven by women.”

Commenting on the recent incident of jeering at the information minister at a coffee shop in London by some overseas Pakistanis, she said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf through its forum had carried out the funeral of ethics and moral values in the society.

“The PTI is taking the country to such a path of bad culture and degraded morals from which it is very difficult to retreat,” Sherry Rehman said.

The minister further said that what happened to (Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb could happen to anyone.

“The PTI should condemn and prevent such incidents instead of promoting them,” she said adding that "Women are being exploited and PTI leader is keeping a mum over the matter. You are fuelling fascism in Quaid-e-Azam's Pakistan”.

The minister lambasted the PTI leadership for its silence on the issue and asked the PTI leaders: “Will you adopt this kind of attitude towards the women of your opponent party? These are the fruits of Imran Khan's speeches and narrative.”